The Rockets aren't that good of a shooting team. When they run the floor, they not only get a lot of lay-ups, and free throws, but they get wide-open 3 point shots.

The Rockets can hit open 3's some games. Some games they are hitting, and some games they aren't.

But some teams slow down the Rockets and limit their fast breaks. This causes them to run their half-court offense, which is just average.

They don't have the same shooting opportunities in the half-court offense that they do when they are running and gunning. So they miss more shots.

So combine these 3 facts. 1. Rockets aren't a great 3-point shooting team. But open 3-pointers from running the floor makes it easier for them to hit 3's.

2. When they are limited in their fast break opportunities, their shooting percentage suffers.

3. Some nights they just have off-shooting nights.

So this combination leads to a lot of inconsistency.

So, if the Rockets are going to play their current style, then they need better shooters.

If they aren't going to get better shooters, then they need to improve their half-court offense.

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I agree with you in that when the Rockets slow down their offense, they have a much lesser chance to win. But 3 points is not the answer really. Take for example, the Chicago game when we were leading 38 points going into the 3rd. We only made 8-20 (40%) not bad. But if those were 2s instead, those 3s would be just an 8 point difference. We blew them up by like 20 and that's only because we laxed on defense because we were leading by so much. We did it by moving the ball in the half court set, throwing off defenses. Think Spurs. Notice when Tim Duncan shoots, he usually had like 1.5 seconds to look and aim w/ no one guarding him. That's because their half court passes throws defenses off in a frenzy, creating open shots.

Recently, the coaching staff wants Harden to penetrate even when double teamed, driving in the lane with a TO or a low percentage shot. Yes, he gets to the FT line to get his points, but what about the other 4 players who can get a better high percentage shot? We have fewer possesions per game and lower percentages per game with this iso harden offense. It wasn't working. Mchale or Sampson wants to reimplement it, probably for their own pride.

There was a stretch late in the bobcats game where they got 4 or 5 stops in a row and the rockets looked like the old rockets pre losing streak. You can't run with out getting stops. Rockets must pay more attention to the def. Side which should improve with some practice time. especially when we get done with the b2bs.

I read some of that article. Kevin McHale mentioned free throw shooting, turnovers, and 3 point shooting.

So 2 out of the 3 problems he mentioned are shooting problems.

The Rocket's game is driving the lane and 3 point shooting. If you are not hitting your 3's, and when you drive the lane and get fouled you aren't making your free throws, then you are going to have a hard time winning.

If the Rockets are going to run-and-gun, then they need shooters. If they can't run and gun due to the other team hitting their shots or just simply getting back on defense, then their half-court offense needs to improve greatly.

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